FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about the Foundation

1.) I pay school taxes. Isn’t that enough?
No. Unfortunately the amount the State provides combined with levy dollars do not meet the costs of education expected by the Northshore community. The money that is collected through taxes and levies provides for basic educational supplies and salaries. The Foundation is working to enhance what your taxes pay for. We are working to provide additional classroom equipment and materials so that students will have learning opportunities beyond what the state can pay for.

2.) I support my PTA. Why are you asking me to support The Foundation too?
Each local PTA does a great job of supporting programs in their individual school. The Foundation is working to address district-wide needs, and is not limited to a particular school. Many people want to use their donation to meet the needs of children throughout the District, beyond their affiliated school(s). Donating to the Foundation is one way to do this.

3.) What exactly will the money raised during the Calling for Kids campaign be used for?
Our grants program encourages innovation and excellence, which translates to a valuable successful classroom experience for our kids. Last year the Foundation funded more than 20 classroom grants and more than a dozen teacher certification grants. Our goal this year is to have the funds available to offer at least one National Board Certification grant for a teacher from each school, AND more than one innovative classroom grant per school.

4.) How does the Foundation decide what projects to fund?
School District personnel identify and prioritize projects that the District budget will not be able to support. This list is given to Foundation Trustees to review. The Trustees subsequently choose those items that best fit the mission and goals of the Foundation. Our focus this year is funding innovative classroom grants and teacher board certifications in all the schools across the District.

5.) Can I designate my donation for a specific school or project?
In the case of the Calling For Kids Campaign – no. We want to use the buying power of the money raised during the campaign to fund the grants specified above.

6.) I’ve already donated…why are you calling me?
The Foundation staff does everything possible to remove donors from our calling list. We try to catch every possibility but much as we try, with 18,000 records, sometimes a donor sneaks past us. We apologize for the disruption and thank you heartily for donating!!

7.) Is the Foundation part of the Northshore School District (NSD)? How are they related?
Although the Foundation’s mission is to enhance educational opportunities for all Northshore Students and it works closely with the NSD, the Foundation is *NOT* an arm of the Northshore School District. The Foundation is a separate organization with its own board of Trustees and staff. The dispensation of funds raised is based on the mission and goals developed by the Foundation trustees. The Foundation is a non-profit, volunteer driven organization that raises money to support the education of all Northshore students in public schools.

8.) How did you get my contact information?
The Public Information Act allows organizations to contact the District and request information from the District. Parents are allowed to opt out of being included in that information by communicating with the District by September, 30. Your information was acquired through that formal, legal disclosure process.

9.) What if I have more questions?
Please feel free to call the Foundation office at 425-408-7680 or send an email directly to SchoolsFoundation@nsd.org